Major Jobs-Economy Laws Going Into Effect

(Aug. 6) – The top-priority bill of the House Democrats in the 2013 legislative session is going into effect on Wednesday.

Because of its strong potential to pump up the state’s economy and get more Coloradans back to work, HB13-1001 was the first to be introduced in the House at the start of the session in January. It is among a slew of laws becoming effective on Aug. 7, the 90th day after the session ended.

HB13-1001 is the bipartisan Advanced Industries Acceleration Act, sponsored by Reps. Dave Young (D-Greeley) and Cheri Gerou (R-Evergreen). It establishes a grant program to promote commercialization of new technologies and growth among Colorado’s high-tech startups, while a companion bill also coming online Wednesday, HB13-1193 by Reps. Tracy Kraft-Tharp (D-Arvada) and Mike McLachlan (D-Durango), provides training and advice to help high-tech Colorado businesses break into the export market.

“These new laws will increase the number of high-paying, high-skilled jobs in Colorado,” Rep. Young said. “We need to move away from Colorado’s traditional boom-and-bust economy to a model that’s more stable and sustainable.”

“International trade is the grand prize, but smaller companies often don’t have the expertise to tap global markets,” Rep. Kraft-Tharp said. “This new law will give them a leg up.”

Also going into effect Wednesday is HB13-1003, another core component of the House Democrats’ jobs package. The new law, sponsored by Reps. Pete Lee (D-Colorado Springs) and Leroy Garcia (D-Pueblo), creates a pilot program to provide training and advice to up to 20 “second stage” Colorado businesses – 6- to 99-employee concerns that can demonstrate significant growth potential.

“It’s pretty straightforward,” Rep. Lee said. “If we strengthen Colorado businesses, we’ll get more Coloradans back on the job.”